Hello, my name is Ryan Young, my story is not unlike most other reptile keepers. It started back when I was a child and the fascination I had with animals. That passion has since consumed and shaped my entire life. I started raising small mammals for the local pet stores when I was in grade school and by the time I was in junior high I had moved on to raising several species of small parrots. I had always liked reptiles but other than a garter snake and some painted turtles I never seriously kept reptiles until I was a teenager. My mother was less than thrilled with the idea of snakes in her house but I was able to keep several lizards, turtles, and frogs before she eventually gave in and I was able to get a Rubber boa. Not long after that I was given my first python and it was an adult WC ball python. Along the way I also got very into Fresh and Saltwater Aquariums and for several years fish keeping was all I did with animals.

As soon as I was old enough to get a job I worked for a couple of the local pet stores during and after high school. My interest in reptiles was again piqued while working in the pet industry.  I had always been drawn to pythons ever since I read about them in an Illustrated wildlife encyclopedia set I had throughout my childhood. The image from the wildlife encyclopedia that had the biggest effect on me was of a Green Tree python. One day while I was at work I saw a Green Tree python listed for sale on a price list from a fish and reptile dealer for the first time. At the time I knew very little about the care required for that species and it came with a price tag beyond my means, so all I could do was dream. As luck would have it the snake never sold and sometime later they offered a sale on her and I was able to buy her! She was an amazing snake who proved to be very tolerant of my learning curve and I have been hooked on pythons ever since.

My focus has been almost entirely on pythons since I have been a serious reptile keeper. In that time I have been very fortunate in having a chance to work with most of the available species at one time or another. I look forward to working with the few that I have not yet had a chance to keep. Beyond the keeping of pythons, I do have a couple tree boas along with several turtles in my collection.

I am very grateful to be married to an amazing woman and although she is not a reptile person, my wife Annette has been more than tolerant of my obsession with snakes and is very supportive of all my animal endeavors. We currently make our home in scenic North Idaho near the western edge of the Rocky Mountains with our two daughters Hailey and Kimberley. When I am not taking care of kids or snakes I try to do as much fishing as I can get away with!